Margaret of Jordan
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- French Way June 9
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Forgot to mention, or ask: we're thinking the last 7 days ending in Santiago would be the most fun, but open to suggestions. Which now brings about more questions: flying into Madrid. Where should we start and how best to get there? I assume you cannot plan to start walking until the next morning.Hello from Jordan! Planning to walk 7 days worth of French Camino June 9 - 16 with my sister and niece. We'd love to wander and stay wherever/whenever the spirit moves us. But, I'd also like to know there will be a decent bed allowing for a good night's sleep, and we don't want to rush to get it. We tend to lallygag. Will there be enough accommodations along the way which do not require reservations in advance? Should I book one level just above the hostels or the typical ones to guarantee a good night's rest? Lastly, are there stops within the "estpas" that we may spontaneously stay at, or are these the only villages we will pass?
This is definitely a matter of opinion and attitude. I didn't find the last week better or worse - just different. I enjoyed the energy that the fresh faced pilgrims on the last 100 km brought. The school groups singing along the way brought a smile. And there were plenty of times that I was walking completely alone too. It may be necessary to book ahead more often during this stage of the Camino, but if you avoid the most popular stopping points you shouldn't have a problem.I can tell you now the last seven days *wont* be the most fun!
The earlier in the Camino you are the lighter the crowds. Why don't you take the train direct to Pamplona - 3 hrs - and start there instead? Book a hotel there for the evening and play it by ear for the rest of the time. Walk as far as you can towards Burgos. You likely won't make it all the way, but on your last day you can get a taxi/bus the last few miles to Burgos and then travel using fast train due south to Nerja.
You'll have much lighter crowds, the scenery between Pamplona and Burgos is very lovely. You'll get to see a couple of cities plus one Camino landmark - the Alto de Perdon, as well as the very pretty and interesting town of Estella, which has some great buildings and galleries.
Both good advice. Things to note: we are all three VERY social. For us it's all about staying culturally enriched through the eyes of others and their stories. Sure we like to see stuff too. It will be about the food and the laughs for us. We range in age 26 to 56 and are all in moderate to decent shape.
Now what do you think?
I still think what I said originally. More people on the trail doesn't mean more social potential. In my experience it means less, as it erodes at the pilgrim community feeling. On that last stretch you won't be greeting all pilgrims you meet with "Buen Camino" because you'd be saying it non-stop.
Add into the mix the fact that you're only around for a week and that getting to and back from Galicia will take the best part of a day, I don't see the point in spending that time on a bus when you could be hiking the earlier parts of the trail.
If you want to stay in albergues you will need a pilgrim passport (credencial). There's no requirement that you get a Compostela.Do I need a Camino passport? And do I need to complete the compostella for any reason?
Ohhh ok good. And I can get one at only certain starting points? Or I need to get ahead of time?If you want to stay in albergues you will need a pilgrim passport (credencial). There's no requirement that you get a Compostela.
Margaret,I am sure that you can buy a pilgrim passport in Sarria .Just ask in the albergue or hostal you choose to stay in.If you want a compostela ,you must have 2 stamps per day on your pilgrim passport.You can get these stamps almost anywhere along the camino.There are lots of albergues bars and cafes..Ohhh ok good. And I can get one at only certain starting points? Or I need to get ahead of time?
Hello from Jordan! Planning to walk 7 days worth of French Camino June 9 - 16 with my sister and niece. We'd love to wander and stay wherever/whenever the spirit moves us. But, I'd also like to know there will be a decent bed allowing for a good night's sleep, and we don't want to rush to get it. We tend to lallygag. Will there be enough accommodations along the way which do not require reservations in advance? Should I book one level just above the hostels or the typical ones to guarantee a good night's rest? Lastly, are there stops within the "estpas" that we may spontaneously stay at, or are these the only villages we will pass?
Wow! Margaret there is so much to offer in answer to your question(s).
If I may, I'll offer these options,,,,,, assuming you are talking about the Camno Frances.
1. Dependent upon your flexibility (all 3 of you), you may want to consider walking the Burgos to Leon section (The Meseta), a beautiful walk.
2. The last 100km+ from Sarria to SDC is a party if that's what you need.
3. Not on the route you want to use,,,,,,,,,,, From Ferrol (up at the top of the map), you can walk the Camino Ingles. Not as busy as the other routes (normally), but with stunning scenery.
There are bucket loads of 7 day options all over all the Camino routes and specially the CaminoFrances. Maybe you and your two friends can tell each other what you want, search this forum, and with luck find the happy mix you will find on a Camino route.
Buen (finding what you need) Camino
Love it! Thanks so much! I'm on it.I like this link for planning. https://godesalco.com/plan/frances You can select a start point and an end point based on how many kilometers per day you anticipate walking. Once you submit your start and stop points, you can choose where you think you might stop. The app shows you what accommodations are available. After that click submit again and it will output a profile map and an itinerary among other helpful tools. I attached an example using Pamplona as a start point and Longrono as an end point. We walked in June last year, we stayed mostly in private rooms, and we booked ahead, but it wasn't necessary until after Sarria. Our traveling companion did not book ahead at all and had no problems. View attachment 42246View attachment 42247
Hi Jadab,hello everyone,
me and a friend both of us ladies are planning a 10 days walk with 2 days each to spend arriving in Porto and last 2 days in Santiago in next week mid May. I am wondering which costal lines that we should start walking and then perhaps taking a train at some parts so that we can reach Santiago, we are not planing to stay in hostels so not going to have pilgrims stamps and not sure if we should book some hotels before hand or go with the flow.....
any suggestions would be kindly appreciated.
Thanks so much, John. I seem to be doing all the planning, which is fine. My sister and her daughter will go along happily with anything. I think we'd like to skip the end party scene. We'd like cute but also meeting a lot of good folks, but also getting good sleep. We also need to consider time and money to get from Madrid to starting point, and from end point to Nerja. That was somewhat of an attractive factor about finishing in Santiago. Flights to Malaga are cheap.
Do I need to reserve accommodations in advance? I thought early June, like we are planning, will not be the busiest time yet.
And it is our preference to do it this way. Goes without asking them. Just making sure IT IS possible.Ok my dear planning person,
Think upon this, it is terribly difficult to try and second guess where will be busy when on the Camino routes.
Consider this Margaret, you sound fairly relaxed about the whole thing, so,,,,,,,,,,,,
perhaps you could have a chat with your sister and her daughter and agree that for just this week, you can all take a leap of faith in each other, pick a start point to suit your needs, get there and take it from there.
For what it's worth, many would envy the flexibility you have,
Buen (go with you heart) Camino
I agree. This is a beautiful part of the camino-- there are hills and towns-- There is good wine, and beautiful views. We especially loved Viana and Najera. -it won't be so crowded as Sarria-Santiago-- And there is more of a tourist feel to the walk after Sarria that I would avoid if you only have a week.I have to agree with H Richards that post Sarria walk is very different from the rest of the walk. However, the time of year plays a big part in how crowded that portion is. We loved it in mid-May, but in late June, it felt a bit like a circus and very hurried. IMHO Pamplona would be a great starting point with only seven days.
View attachment 42243
Yes, perfectly possible and you will have no troubles, if last year's June was anything to go by. If you're going to arrive late in Pamplona it might be preferable to have booked a room for that night instead of hunting around for albergues. Albergues will all close by 10pm, and stop taking in people an hour or two before that. Hotels will be open later.And it is our preference to do it this way. Goes without asking them. Just making sure IT IS possible.
Confused about this: "getting to and back from Galicia"
I can tell you now the last seven days *wont* be the most fun! They'll be overcrowded, booked-out hell. A satellite view of that section in June will look like an unbroken procession of ants, no joke.
Why don't you do Leon to Sarria instead? Or Pamplona to Burgos? Or Burgos to Sahagun? It would help to pick a starting point that's easily reached from Madrid (train/bus), if you've got such a short time.
The weather changes daily. It rained, then it stopped.Following up - what’s the weather like in these parts now?
And we have to get the passport at one of these starting places, right?
Hi H Richards. Me again. Starting Sunday and it would appear we're a bit too laid back. HA. Still deciding on starting point Pamplona or Burgos. Thinking Burgos b/c it's faster to reach from Madrid. With less than a week, which would you recommend for good villages since we won't get far - the first part of after Pamplona, or first part after Burgos? And how far will we really get in 6 days? I can't find the auberge list here to download. I saw the "favorite auberge" list here but it seems it was updated in 2011?The earlier in the Camino you are the lighter the crowds. Why don't you take the train direct to Pamplona - 3 hrs - and start there instead? Book a hotel there for the evening and play it by ear for the rest of the time. Walk as far as you can towards Burgos. You likely won't make it all the way, but on your last day you can get a taxi/bus the last few miles to Burgos and then travel using fast train due south to Nerja.
You'll have much lighter crowds, the scenery between Pamplona and Burgos is very lovely. You'll get to see a couple of cities plus one Camino landmark - the Alto de Perdon, as well as the very pretty and interesting town of Estella, which has some great buildings and galleries.
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